My vet in Thailand is advising 50 microgram vaccine of Ivermectin every 3 months for my Shih Tzu. Is it too much? Thoughts?
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M$2 Answers
The dosage information I found is:
"For dogs: Dose is 0.0015 to 0.003 mg per pound (0.003 to 0.006 mg/kg) once a month for heartworm prevention; 0.15 mg per pound (0.3 mg/kg) once, then repeat in 14 days for skin parasites; and 0.1 mg per pound (0.2 mg/kg) once for gastrointestinal parasites."
With the average weight of a Shih Tzu being 9-16 pounds, I calculated the dog should be getting anywhere from .0135mg (13.5 micrograms) every month to 1.6mg (1600 micrograms) only ONCE.
So, again I have to say that we need more information, namely why is the dog being treated and how much does it weigh?
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M$This is a very potent drug and the philosophy varies on it. Some dogs particularly Collies can not take this drug due to a genetic issue. There are severe side effects of longterm use, mainly Central Nervous System depression, so if you do do it I would be very closely monitoring your dog. Some Vets like to use it preventively even if there is no sign of parasites/worms while some vets will only use it if there are worms present and then stop using it when there is no sign of worms. you have to do what you feel is right, if it was my dog I would only use it until the worms are gone, as it is unsure if this drug can cross the blood brain barrier and cause long term neurological effects.
The full list of side effects are depression, lethargy, vomiting, convulsions, anorexia, ataxia, elu-species (in cat), hyperactivity, even death. There are long list of minor (less occurring) side effects. These include shaking, eye problem, slow heart action, tilting of head.
Some more hollistic approaches that have been in use for 100's of years include various herbal de-worming agents, the most effective and least toxic is black walnut extract, has been used in humans and horses and dogs for over a thousand years, it was the main deworming herb used by native americans, there are probably some other herbal remedies native to thailand.
Also giving your dog lots of raw garlic during the day is one way to create an environment where parasites can not live. Garlic is on the top of the list for anti-parasitics.
If you do continue with the drug you must also include Milk Thistle to speed up repair of the damage this drug seems to cause on the liver.
Basically if your animal seems depressed they are reacting poorly to this drug.
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M$
This would have been the best answer if sources were cited!
Mine was NOT a snippet off a website. The only copy and paste was where I placed the quotation marks in the 2nd paragraph.
I'm sorry that the information my head was too specific and correct that it looked like it came from another source.
And you didn't answer the question at all anyway. You just listed side effects. Dosage is dosage. You were mentioning concentration of medicines. Good to know you don't know the difference and still can pick on my correct answer.
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This info came from my own head, I am certified in herbal medicine, and have read many books on holistic pet care as pet owner myself, sorry I don't always just copy and paste info directly from websites I use my lifetime of knowledge I have gathered combined with my own experience. I think that is more reliable than some snipet off the web.
Ivermectin is used in the US as a preventative for heartworms and hookworms, which can be contracted at anytime of the year that there are mosquitos. Here in Virginia, we keep our dogs on it year-round usually with a once-a-month pill which is more like a treat. Much better than it used to be- shove a pill down her throat every day.
Anyway, Ivermectin should be kept at as constant a level in the dog's body as possible, which is why I'd wonder at the 3 month interval that your vet is using. Is it possible to ask him about prescribing a tablet you could give your dog once a month? It is also available as a shot, which I suspect is what the vet is using. "Ivermectin is available in 10 mg/ml and 2.7 mg/ml injectable form; 0.153 percent and 1.87 percent paste form; 10 mg/ml liquid oral form and 68 mcg, 136 mcg and 272 mcg tablets."
Dosage-wise a 12 pound dog should get from 0.018mg (18 micrograms) to 0.036mg (36 micrograms) once a month.
Here is the patient information sheet for Heartgard:
http://heartgard.us.merial.com/downloads/chewablesPlus_dogs.pdf
No matter what the vet and you decide, prevention of heartworms is the ONLY way to go since once they contract them, dogs will die a slow painful death from the worms or could die from the treatment, which I think is what the other answerer was alluding to.
My two dogs are healthy. The vet says the vaccine is for preventive reasons. I feel the vet is trying to up-sell drugs/vaccines each time I take my dogs for regular checkups. I've tried to visit other vets, but it's the same up-sell practice all around.
When I question the vet re their recommendation - i often get the "you're a foreigner, don't concern yourself - you think too much" attitude. I believe most people follow their vet recommendation without questions.
There are a lot of stray dogs in Thailand. Many dog owners let their dogs roam free outside and they get all sort of things. I keep my dogs in-house and take precautions when I take them out for walks because it's not always "clean".
Both my dogs are about 12 pounds each and I keep their fur cut short due to the warm weather.